The file's text, extracted by GovTribe without its formatting.
RFP 15JPSS24R00000049, Private Counsel Debt Collection – IDIQ Responses to Vendor Questions
| Question/Comment |
| Response |
| Can you release the expected initial volume of referrals for each district? This is important to determine the appropriate subcontractor to partner with. |
| As each Task Order District is identified, we will release the caseload (referrals) of that specific District. |
| The document named SF-1449 on Page 7, Paragraph 5, states the maximum contract value is two million dollars for the entire term of the contract. This value would indicate a very low volume of cases given that the average foreclosure fee will be in the $4K range. With general debt collection, title policies and possible bankruptcy fees added in and given that the contract covers 50 jurisdictions, it would seem this maximum limit should be much higher. Please verify the accuracy of this number. |
| This number is correct. |
| Please reconfirm the due date for this procurement by providing it in response to answers to questions. |
| Proposals are due no later than October 28, 2024 at 4:30p.m. ET. |
| What is the date by which you will answer these questions? |
| The Department’s responses, along with the questions, will be posted to the Contract Opportunities website, https://sam.gov/content/opportunities |
| Can you please provide greater explanation of your expectations related to any required subcontracting to minority-owned, women-owned, or other types or categories of small or disadvantaged businesses? For example, what is required with the proposal, and what is required to comply during the term of the contract? |
| There are no restrictions. The offeror is able to subcontract the work to a small business or a large business. |
| Are bidders permitted to deviate in any way from any manner of quoting fees you may be expecting? For example, if there is a pricing page in the RFP, can bidders submit an alternate fee structure? If there is no pricing page in the RFP, do you have any preference for how bidders should quote fees or can bidders create their own pricing categories? |
| Offerors shall not deviate from the requirements of the solicitation. |
All offerors must insert the fixed unit rates for the specified line items utilizing the file entitled “Price Proposal Template” associated with this solicitation.
| Please describe your level of satisfaction with your current or recent vendor(s) for the same purchasing activity, if applicable. |
| The Government is satisfied with the current vendor’s performance. |
| Has the current contract gone full term? |
| No. |
| Have all options to extend the current contract been exercised? |
| Not applicable. There are no options on the current contract. |
| Who is the incumbent, and how long has the incumbent been providing the requested services? |
| The incumbent is the Law Offices of Robert A. Schuerger Co., LPA and they have been providing services since December 8, 2020. |
| To what extent will the location of the bidder’s proposed location or headquarters have a bearing on any award? |
| The Bidder’s proposal will need to sufficiently show how it will adequately facilitate individual Task Orders coming from USAO districts which are nationwide, in light of the vendor’s location. |
| How are fees currently being billed by any incumbent(s), by category, and at what rates? |
| Contingency fee payments are paid automatically based upon unsecured debt collections. The vendor invoices DOJ regularly for earned flat fees, hourly pay, and cost reimbursements. We cannot disclose the rates. |
| What estimated or actual dollars were paid last year, last month, or last quarter to any incumbent(s)? |
| This information is not readily available. |
| What is the average balance of accounts by category? |
| Average balance amounts of accounts are provided with each district’s Task Order as it is issued. There are 94 USAO districts with varying caseload of unsecured and secured (foreclosures) debts. A majority of districts that request a Task Order will have 25 to 70 foreclosure cases from HUD, USDA, SBA, or other agencies. |
| What is the average age of accounts at placement (at time of award and/or on a going-forward basis), by category? |
| Average age accounts are provided with each district’s Task Order as it is requested by the District. There are 94 USAO districts with varying caseloads of unsecured and secured (mainly foreclosures) debts. Most districts that request a Task Order will have 25 or more foreclosure cases from HUD, USDA, SBA, or other agencies, and 30 or more unsecured debts from student loans, HEAL loans, or other Federal agencies. |
| What is the monthly or quarterly number of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category? |
| We cannot predict the volume of intake of additional accounts to the existing caseload. |
| What is the monthly or quarterly dollar value of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category? |
| We cannot predict the volume of intake of additional accounts to the existing caseload. |
| What is the monthly or quarterly dollar value of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category? |
| We cannot predict the volume of intake of additional accounts to the existing caseload. |
| What has been the historical rate of return or liquidation rate provided by any incumbent(s), and/or what is anticipated or expected as a result of this procurement? |
| We do not track the rate of return or liquidation rates on these accounts. We cannot predict future rates for these accounts. |
| Can you please provide a greater description of the specific kind of receivables to be placed for collection? |
| Task Order will consist of foreclosure cases from HUD (reverse mortgages), USDA, SBA, or other agencies, and unsecured debts from student loans, HEAL loans, civil penalties, and delinquent debt owed to the government arising from benefits or loans from varying Federal agencies. |
| To what extent are these accounts owed by private consumers versus commercial businesses? |
| The majority of these accounts are private consumers whose debts arise out of federal loan programs, federal benefits, or civil penalties or fines. |
| Will accounts be primary placements, not having been serviced by any other outside collection agency, and/or will you also be referring secondary placements? If so, should bidders provide proposed fees for secondary placements also? |
| Most referrals to the DOJ will have had some minimal collection activity not rising to litigation enforcement, conducted by the referring federal agency. Some unsecured debt referrals will come from the Treasury Fiscal Bureau which will have conducted some level of collection activity not arising to litigation. Vendors should be aware that Statute of Limitations (SOL) must be considered when receiving referrals, so that all lawsuits are filed on behalf of the U.S. are timely. |
| What is the total dollar value of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog? |
| Total dollar value of accounts will be identified by district with the issuance of each Task Order to the IDIQ vendor. |
| What is the total number of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog? |
| The total number of accounts will be identified by district with the issuance of each Task Order to the IDIQ vendor. |